Pencil Skirts That Aren’t Just Boring Office Wear

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Don’t try to deny it: When you hear “pencil skirt,” you probably flash back to trying to stuff yourself into a boring black skirt from the T.J. Maxx clearance rack in preparation for your first-ever job interview.

Back in the day, pencil skirts were considered glamorous and sexy to the point where teens were warned against wearing them lest they feel too frisky. Somewhere along the way, they lost some of their luster and gained a reputation for being frumpy or stuffy, generally relegated to office wear. Not to mention the fact that they’re hard to walk in. Unless you’re Joan from Mad Men, it can be a hard look to pull off.

But thanks to the rising popularity of the midi-skirt over the past few years (as well as several updates to the classic pencil skirt that walked down the fall 2017 runways), there are more flattering and more fun options than ever. There’s no need to resign yourself to the classic options in tweed, navy, charcoal, and black; you can find the silhouette in bright colors and more forgiving fabrics, embellished with ruffles, prints, bows, side slits, and more.

From the subtle to the very daring, here are eight pencil skirts that are anything but boring. (Oh, and feel free to pull any of them out on the weekend, too.)